North Jetty (Hikkaduwa) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Righto, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s doing for North Jetty in Hikkaduwa over the next couple of weeks. I’ll be straight with you – it’s a bit of a rough stretch ahead, so don’t go booking your week off just yet.

The whole 16-day window is a bit of a grind, to be honest. The water’s sitting at a warm 82°F, which is pretty much what you’d expect for this time of year, no real surprises there. But the wind – mostly a moderate cross-onshore breeze out of the west at 15-16 mph – is just messing things up day after day. There’s a heap of energy in the water, with the combined swell energy reading over 3000 at times, but it’s sloppy and choppy, and the forecast is calling it “poor surf conditions” for most of the run.

The first week, from Saturday 15 August right through to Friday 22 August, is a write-off. Every morning and afternoon has that lumpy cross-onshore wind, with swell heights bouncing between 2 ft and 7 ft. Even when the swell gets up around 7 ft on Tuesday 18th (energy of 3188), it’s all cross-onshore and messy – that’s more of a kitesurfer’s session than a paddle surfer’s. The odd morning on the 16th and 17th has an onshore wind, but with short-period swell of 6-7 seconds and risk of thunderstorms, it’s not worth getting wet for.

Now, from Saturday 22 August into late August, there’s a small glimmer. On the 22nd, the wind drops to a gentle breeze at 9 mph in the afternoon – still cross-onshore – and the swell sits at 5 ft from the SSW with a 15-second period (energy 1019). That’s a long-period groundswell, which at a point break like North Jetty could tidy up a bit, but it’s still only “marginal” at best. The real standout is the very end of the outlook: Saturday 29 August and Sunday 30 August. The swell builds to 7 ft and 8 ft from the SSW and SW, with periods of 20-21 seconds – that’s proper long-period groundswell, and the energy is pumping at 3998 and 3755. This is big, powerful stuff. But here’s the catch: the wind is still cross-onshore or onshore, and it’s all rated as poor or marginal. For experienced surfers only – 8 ft is serious, and the long period will make it fat and heavy. The optimum swell direction is SW, and the swell is coming from SSW and SW, so that matches up nicely for the point, but the wind is the spoiler.

Crowds at North Jetty can be an issue sometimes, but honestly, with conditions like this, you’ll probably have it to yourself. It’s a fairly consistent spot, so it does break, but the quality just isn’t there.

Overall, if you’re desperate, the 22nd afternoon or the very end of the month (29-30 August) are your best bets, but don’t expect perfection. The forecasts can change, but right now it’s a waiting game.

Rusty

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